years, buried 1703; William Abbot, 101, 1733; Wiat, 100, 1790; and
William Douse, 100, 1803. The case of Rebecca, wife of Richard Harding,
a waterman, is mentioned. She gave birth to four children, she died
in labour of the fourth child, which was still-born. The mother was
buried February 8, 1730; her three infant children, Mary, Sarah, and
Rebecca were buried the 2nd of March following. Respecting the rate of
mortality in London during the plague years, in the year 1603, 30,578
persons died of the plague. At the accession of Charles I. in 1625,
another dreadful pestilence raged in London, which carried off 35,417
persons. In the year 1665, about the beginning of May, there broke out
in London the most dreadful plague that ever infested this kingdom,
which swept away 68,596 persons, which added to the number of those
who died of other distempers, raised the bill of mortality in this
year to 97,306. And the mortality raged so violently in July, that
all houses were shut up, the streets, deserted, and scarce anything
to be seen therein but grass growing, innumerable fires for purifying
the air, coffins, pest-carts, red crosses upon doors, with the
inscription, 'Lord have mercy upon us,' and continual cries of 'pray
for us;' or the melancholy call of 'bring out your dead.' The cause
of this terrible calamity was ascribed to the importation of infected
goods from Holland where the plague had committed great ravages the
preceding year. During the whole time of its continuance there was a
great calm, for weeks together there was scarcely any wind so that it
was with difficulty that the fires in the streets could be kept burning
for want of a supply of air, and even the birds panted for breath. The
plague as is generally agreed is never bred or propagated in Britain,
but always imported from abroad, especially from the Levant, Lesser
Asia, Egypt, etc. Sydenham, an old writer, has remarked that it rarely
infects this country oftener than once in forty years--thank God we
have happily been free from it for a much longer period. There have
been various conjectures as to the nature of this dreadful distemper.
Some think that insects are the cause of it, in the same way that
they are the cause of blights. Mr. Boyle thought that it originated
from the effluvia or exhalations breathed into the atmosphere from
noxious minerals to which might be added stagnant waters and putrid
bodies of every kind. Gibbon, in his _Roman History_, 4th Edition, Vol.
IV, p. 327-332, gives a very particular account of the plague which
depopulated the earth in the time of Emperor Justinian. He thinks
that the plague was derived from damp, hot and stagnating air, and the
putrifaction of animal substances, especially locusts. The Mahometans
believe that the plague proceeds from certain spirits, or goblins,
armed with bows and arrows sent by God to punish men for their sins;
and that when the wounds are given by spectres of a black colour, they
certainly prove fatal, but not so when the arrows are shot by those
that appear white. The learned Dr. Chandler, who travelled in Asia
Minor, was of the opinion that the disease arose from animalcules which
he supposed to be invisible.
The three Plague years.
In 1603 the number of deaths in Battersea was 22
" 1625 ditto 61
" 1665 ditto 113
Average of Births with Burials:--
1580-1589 Births 13 Burials 7
1680-1689 " 58 " 68
1780-1789 " 60 " 69
In 1876 the number of births in Battersea Parish was 3459, and the
number of deaths 1751, not including the Hamlet of Penge.
The subjoined is copied from "St. Mary's Battersea Parish Magazine" for
November, 1875. "Vicars of Battersea from Olden Times. The following
extract from 'A History and Antiquities of Surrey,' begun by the Rev.
Owen Manning, enlarged and continued to the year 1814 by William Bray,
Esq., printed for White, Cochrane & Co., at Horace's Head, Fleet
Street, will be of interest.
PATRON. VICAR. INSTITUTION.
Abbot and Convent
of Westminster Thomas de Sunbury 13 Nov. 1301
" William Trencheuent 21 Nov. 1306
" Gilbert de Swalelyve 26 Oct. 1320
" Richard Condray 11 Dec. 1325
" Thomas at Strete de
Cadyngton 20 April 1328
" Elias de Hoggenorton 10 Aug. 1330
" Richard de Wolword 9 Dec. 1331
" William Handley 26 Nov. 1366
" John Gelle Resigned, 1370
" William Bakere 8 Feb. 1370-1
" John Colyn 5 Oct. 1378
The King (the
temporalities
of the abbey
being in his
hands) Henry Green 31 Oct. 1383
Abbot and Convent
of Westminster Henry Walyngford Resigned, 1394
" John Berewyk 22 Oct. 1394
" Richard Gatyn 12 May 1402
" William Comelond Died, 1413
" John Smyth 25 Aug. 1413
" Henry Oxyn Resigned, 1457
" John Moreys 30 Sept. 1457
" Thomas Huntyngton 5 Nov. 1485
" John Heron 20 April 1487
" Nicholas Townley Resigned,
18 Feb. 1523-4
" Christopher Wylson 9 Mar. 1523-4
" Richard Rosse, L.L.D. 16 May 1530
" John Edwyn 18 Nov. 1560
" Thomas Mynthorne 5 Jan. 1561
Queen Elizabeth William Gray 10 Mar. 1561-2
" Owen Ridley 21 June 1571
Sir John St. John,
Bart. Thomas Temple, B.D. 21 Nov. 1634
Sir Walter St. John Simon Patrick, D.D.[1] 1658
" Gervase Howe, M.A. 22 Mar. 1675-6
" Nathaniel Gower 20 Oct. 1701
Lord St. John George Osborn 4 Oct. 1727
Henry Viscount St.
John Thomas Church, D.D 10 Mar. 1739-40
Frederick Lord
Bolingbroke Lilly Butler 18 June 1757
" William Fraigneau 18 Mar. 1758
" John Gardenor[2] Oct. 1778
The Crown[3] Robert Eden, M.A. 1 Feb. 1835
" John Simon Jenkinson, M.A. 20 June 1847
Earl Spencer John Erskine Clarke, M.A. 2 Feb. 1872
The Registers of 1345, 1366, 1415, 1446, 1492, and 1500 are lost."
[Footnote 1: The famous Bishop of Ely.]
[Footnote 2: He was many years a constant exhibitor at the Royal
Academy. In 1788 he published a set of Views on the Rhine. In 1798
was printed a Sermon preached by him before the Armed Association of
Battersea.]
[Footnote 3: The Patronage lapsed to the Crown, Dr. Allen having been
appointed Bishop of Ely, and Dr. Eden, better known as Lord Auckland,
Bishop of Sodor and Man.]
In the reign of Henry VI. Thomas Lord Stanley held possession of
a valuable estate in Battersea, which, in order to prevent its
confiscation at that troublesome period, he had conveyed to trustees
for the benefit of himself and that of Thomas his son and heir. In
December, 1460, the property was transferred by the Trustees to
Lawrence Booth, Bishop of Durham, and his heirs, and in the year
following the grant was confirmed by the two Stanleys. The futility
of this transfer was obvious for before Edward IV. had reigned eleven
years the estate had escheated to the Crown "in consequence of the
action of John Stanley, who assigned the lands and tenements in trust
to the Abbot of Westminster, in contravention of the statute of
Mortmain. The Bishop therefore had to apply to the King and on payment
of £700 he obtained a grant under Letters Patent dated July 10th, 1472,
of the property forfeited by John Stanley."
Lawrence Booth was made Bishop of Durham in 1457, he built a Mansion
Brygge Court at Battersea, and by the King's license enclosed with
walls and towers imparked his land there, with the right of warren and
free chase therein. In 1476 he was translated to the See of York. He
died in 1480 and bequeathed this property to the Dean and Chapter of
York as an occasional residence when the Archbishop visited London.
The name of York Road perpetuates this ancient occupancy. One of the
few prelates who resided here was Archbishop Holgate who was committed
to the Tower by Queen Mary in 1553 for being a married man, and lost
much property by illegal seizure. Strype, in his life of Cranmer,
relates that the officers who were sent to apprehend the Archbishop
rifled his house at Battersea and took away from thence £300 worth of
gold coin; 1,600 ounces of plate; a mitre of fine gold set with very
fine diamonds, sapphires, and balists; other good stones and pearls;
some very valuable rings, and the Archbishop's seal in silver; and his
signet, an antique in gold. It is contended that Wolsey resided at
York House, Battersea, where he was introduced to Anne Boleyne though
the interview is more commonly believed to have taken place at York
House, Whitehall; but Shakespere in his plays makes the King come
by water, and York House, Battersea, was a residence of Wolsey and
provided with a creek from the Thames for approach to the house. Sir
Edward Wynter is said to have resided at York House, whose exploits
surpassed even the heroic achievements of Lord Herbert Cherbury, who,
alone in his shirt chased a host of midnight robbers from his house.
Sir Edward Wynter's exploits have been already mentioned. The Mansion
House was considerably altered by Joseph Benwell, Esq., the occupier
who took down many of the old rooms. One of these called the painted
chamber had a dome ceiling and is said to have been the room in which
Wolsey entertained Henry VIII. with masquerades, and in which he saw
Anne Boleyne. When the floor was removed there was found under it a
chased gold ring on the side of which was inscribed "Thy virtue is thy
honour." This superbly painted room with a dome forms the back ground
of an ancient print representing the first interview of Henry VIII.
with Anne Boleyne.
There was also another large building in 1818 standing parallel with
York House but nearer the river divided into two houses, then in the
possession of F. Alver and H. Tritton, Esqrs., and noted for having a
very fine terrace in front next the Thames.
The art of transfer-printing produced from copper-plate impressions
is said to have been made at Liverpool; but Mr. Binns, F.S.A., in
his very interesting History of Worcester ware traces the claim of
transfer-printing to the Battersea Enamel Works at York House, (the
Archbishop's old palace) where Ravenet and other artists wrought in
engraving plates from which impressions were taken on enamel plaques,
etc., for snuff-boxes and other articles. The Liverpool claim to
the invention dates from 1756. Whereas Horace Walpole writes from
Strawberry Hill, six or seven miles from Battersea, to R. Bently,
September 18th, 1755; "I shall send you a trifling snuff-box only
as a sample of the new manufacture at Battersea which is done with
_Copper plates_." The Battersea Porcelain[1] Works failed and Alderman
Jansen's stock, furniture, etc., were sold by public auction, March 4,
1756. The Battersea and Chelsea wares being rarities are expensive,
particularly the former. A writer in the "Athenæum" thinks it probable
that some of the Battersea workmen found their way to Worcester and
Liverpool.
[Footnote 1: In 1518 the Portuguese obtained their settlement at
Macao, and through them Europe obtained its first specimen of china
ware. "And because the cowrie shells which represented Oriental
money, resembled as they thought, the backs of little pigs, they
called them porcellana; and because the transparent and beautiful
texture of china ware resembled that of the delicate cowrie shell, the
same name was applied to it; whence we get, it is said, our English
designation--porcelain."--_See Marratt's History of Pottery._]
The public may see some beautiful as well as curious specimens of
Battersea enamel exhibited at Kensington Museum, lent by the Hon.
W. F. B. Massey-Mainwaring. Also some bought at Mrs. Haliburton's
sale. Battersea enamel 1750-60. Blue and gold, pink and gold
candle-sticks, snuff-boxes, scent-bottles, needle-cases, handle for
a cane, tray (circular) from Dulparry with floral medallions, tazza,
Bulton's hunting subjects in brown transfer, thimble cases, etui with
implements. Battersea enamel portrait on copper, a gentleman in armour
wearing the garter, etc., etc.
Jens Wolfe, Esq., who was Danish Consul to this country, had a seat at
Battersea called Sherwood Lodge. He built a gallery 76 feet long by
25, and 30 in height in the most correct style of Doric architecture
for the reception of plaster casts purposely taken for this collection
from the most celebrated antique statues. The most remarkable of these
were those from the Fighting Gladiator and the Niobe, the Barberini
Faun, the Dying Gladiator and the Farnese Hercules. The mansion was
pleasantly situated and beautifully shaded with poplar, lime, and
sycamore trees. It was the residence of Mrs. Fitz Herbert. Sir George
Wombwell chose it as his seat and resided in it about fourteen years.
Subsequently Sir Edward Hyde East dwelt here. The stable belonging
to Sherwood Lodge still remains, also the old wooden-cased pump with
leaden spout.
[Illustration:
PRICE'S PATENT CANDLE COMPANY, BELMONT WORKS, BATTERSEA, S.W.
(_above_).
PRICE'S PATENT CANDLE COMPANY, BROMBOROUGH POOL, NEAR LIVERPOOL
(_below_).]
On the site where stood York House, Tudor Lodge, and Sherwood House,
stands a great hive of industry known as Belmont Works or Price's
Patent Candle Factory. Price's Patent Candle Company (as a private
firm) was among the earliest to apply in commercial enterprise the
discoveries of Chevreul, and has continued to hold the first place
among candle manufacturers in Great Britain; and notwithstanding the
manufacture of gas, the importation of American oils and the many
competitors for supplying light-giving material this Company makes its
way by dexterity between them. At the present time the store room of
the Belmont Factory actually contains candles of about 240 different
kinds. Until Chevreul had begun his scientific investigations in
1811, oils and fats had been regarded as simple organic substances.
On the complete publication of his discoveries in 1823, the complex
character of these bodies became extensively known. In 1829 the plan
of separating cocoa-nut oil into its solid and liquid components by
pressure, was in that year patented by Mr. James Soames of London;
this patent was purchased by Mr. William Wilson and his partner, who,
trading upon it under the title of E. Price & Co., perfected it as to
manufacturing details. In 1831 the candle manufacture in England was
set free from the excise supervision to which it had been previously
subjected. From that date then its progress became possible. After a
time, in order to carry out successfully certain enterprises which
required more capital than the Company had at their command, Mr.
Wilson's partner sold his share in the beginning of 1835 to three
capitalists. With these gentlemen as sleeping partners and with the
aid of two of his sons, Mr. Wilson continued under the name of Edward
Price & Co. to carry on the concern until it passed in 1847 into the
hands of Price's Patent Candle Company, with a capital of £500,000; of
this Company Mr. Wm. Wilson became the first Chairman, and his sons,
Mr. James P. Wilson and Mr. George F. Wilson, the two Manufacturing
Directors. It is interesting to notice that in the year 1840, while
Mr. J. P. Wilson was endeavouring to produce a cheap self-snuffing
candle for the coming illumination in honour of the marriage of Her
Majesty Queen Victoria, then about to take place, succeeded in making
such candles of a mixture of equal parts of stearic acid and cocoa-nut
stearine, they gave a brilliant light and required no snuffing.
These candles came rapidly into notice, they were named "Composite"
because of the mixture in them. Africa supplies the palm-oil which
was hitherto used almost entirely for soap-making. The imports of
palm-oil into England, which amounted to about 9,800 tons in 1840,
have for many years past exceeded 40,000 tons annually, and averaged
50,000 tons in 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1874. This increase of importation
is undoubtedly due in very great part to the use of oil in the
manufacture of candles; and it is this trade which presents to the
African chiefs and kings along the West Coast the motive that they can
best understand for the abandonment of the slave-trade, they learn
in fact, that their subjects are of more value to their rulers when
collecting palm-oil than by being sold into slavery. The cocoa-nut
oil brought from Ceylon is largely used in the factory. The palm-oil
from the Coast of Africa being converted by chemical processes into
stearine, is freed from oleic acid by enormous pressure, is liquefied
by steam, and then conveyed into the moulding machinery, by which 800
miles of wicks are continually being converted into candles. Among the
earlier operations of the new Company was the acquirement in 1848 of
the Night-Light Patent held by Mr. G. M. Clarke, and in 1849 of the
Night-Light business of Mr. Samuel Childs, and the erection of a new
factory for the purpose of carrying on this new branch of manufacture
on an extensive scale. In 1875 no less than 32½ millions of new lights
were sold by the Candle Company. Geology informs us that in the age of
the coal formation a great part of the earth's surface was covered by
a dense and tangled vegetation composed mainly of flowerless plants
growing with wonderful luxuriance in the warm damp atmosphere which
must then have prevailed--the masses of vegetable matter--the decay
of gigantic ferns sinking into the boggy soil formed peat which as
ages rolled on became converted by heat and pressure into coal. The
conditions of the earth now are so different to what they were at
that geological period that we are unable to state with certainty how
long the process must have taken to form the ancient beds of lignite
(mineral coal retaining the texture of the wood from which it was
formed) and brown coal, and the still more ancient beds or seams of
true coal. From these paraffine is extracted by chemical processes--it
is the chief material in the _Golden Medal Palmitine Candles_ (the name
given to the candles in consequence of the award to the Company at
the Paris Exhibition, 1867, and other products--the name "Palmitine"
having been given to them because of the presence of a beautifully pure
white stearine obtained from palm-oil). The paraffine thus procured
by a process of distillation yields at the same time a liquid product
affording under the name of coal oil, or petrolium, one of the cheapest
of the Company's light-giving materials. Price's Glycerine has obtained
a world-wide reputation for its purity--much of it is manufactured from
palm-oil. It was in the Company's factory that _pure_ glycerine was
first produced. The total of raw materials brought into work by the
Company in 1877 amounted to nearly 16,000 tons. The produce in the same
year was as follows;---
Candles of all kinds 147,000,000
Night-lights 32,000,000
Oils for Lamps, Machinery and Wool-working gals. 990,000
Household and Toilet Soaps cwts. 38,000
Stearine and Candle-material sold in bulk cwts. 16,000
Glycerine of various qualities cwts. 3,500
The year's produce of candles named above would suffice to give
the continuous light of one candle during about 84,000 years. The
Night-lights would in like manner give the continuous light of one
Night-light during about 25,000 years. In 1853 the Company took a step
of much importance. Liverpool being then as now, the place of arrival
of the largest importation of palm-oil, it was felt to be desirable
that the Company should have in or near it a second factory, prepared
to manufacture this material where it could be purchased without cost
of land carriage. The capital of the Company was therefore increased
and an estate of about 60 acres was purchased at Bromborough Pool,
near Liverpool, on which was erected the second factory with cottages.
The factory village numbers 97 houses with a population of 530. It
has its own place of worship, schools, co-operative stores, rifle
corps, and all the organization of a model village. At present this
factory employs about 320 operatives. The London Works (Battersea)
occupy an area of about 13½ acres, those at Bromborough occupy 7 acres.
The buildings are all roofed with corrugated iron so as to reduce
inflammable material to a minimum. The area covered by the roofs is
a large one, as the buildings again, with a view to safety from fire
have generally no upper floor. This area amounts to nine acres for the
two factories. The operatives number about 1,300, nearly 1,000 of whom
are employed at Battersea. Connected with each factory is a mess-room
in which the work-people can either purchase their food from the
Co-operative Society established among themselves, or can have their
own provisions cooked for them. At each factory a brief devotional
service is conducted every morning. Each factory has its reading room
and library; each maintains a corps of rifle volunteers (the two
establishments together providing about 300 efficient riflemen), and
each during the winter has its evening school for boys employed in
the Works. Bromborough enjoys an excellent recreation ground and set
of allotment gardens, but the growth of buildings about London has
precluded the London operatives from having these privileges. During
the winter months, lectures and science and art classes offer amusement
and instruction to those who desire one or the other. In each factory
a medical officer pays a daily visit, and attends to all who may be
ailing; a weekly payment of one penny from each man and a half-penny
from each boy being required in return for this privilege. On the whole
this is one of the best regulated firms in the Metropolis.
Mr. JAMES PILLANS WILSON, _Consulting Adviser_.
Mr. JOHN CALDERWOOD, _General Manager_.
Mr. W. H. WITHALL, _Secretary_.
Mr. KINGSTON GEORGE WOODHAM, _Superintendent_.
Mr. S. J. ROBERTS, _Chief Engineer_.
Mr. G. CHILDS, _Superintendent Night-Light Department_.
Mr. J. DAY, _Superintendent Bromborough Pool Works_,
near Birkenhead.[1]
[Footnote 1: The writer has had the privilege of consulting a pamphlet
entitled "A Brief History of Price's Patent Candle Company (Limited),"
printed by Spottiswoode & Co., New Street Square, London, 1876. For
private circulation only.]
Though hour-glasses were invented at Alexandria B.C. 149, and
water-clocks about the same period, yet it does not appear that
hour-glasses and clepsydras or water-clocks were known in England
during the reign of Alfred the Great. Sun dials might be, but were of
no use from eve to morn and when the days were sunless. In order to
allot certain portions of time to particular objects, eight hours to
sleep, meals and exercise, eight to the affairs of government, and
eight to study and devotion, Alfred contrived the expedient of having
wax candles made of equal weight and twelve inches in length, with
marks upon them at regular distances. The combustion of one candle
lasted four hours, and each intermediate part, an inch in distance,
denoted a period of twenty minutes. Six of these candles lasted
twenty-four hours. The duty of tending these candles was entrusted to
one of Alfred's domestic Chaplains who had to give the Monarch notice
of their working. As currents of air rushed through the unglazed
windows and chinks in the walls of the Royal residence as to render the
combustion irregular and the register inaccurate, the ingenious King
surrounded the candles with horn and wooden frames to make them burn
steadily in all weathers.
It was a custom in olden time to conduct a sale or auction by inch
of candle. A small piece of candle being lighted the bystanders were
allowed to bid for the merchandize that was offered for sale--the
moment the candle went out the commodity was adjudged to the last
bidder.
There was also excommunication by inch of candle, when the sinner was
allowed to come to repentance while a candle continued to burn; but
after it was consumed he remained excommunicated to all intents and
purposes.
CANDLEMAS, a feast of the Romish Church, celebrated on the 2nd of
February, in honour of the purification of the Virgin Mary. It is
borrowed from the practice of the ancient Christians, who on that day
used abundance of lights both in their churches and processions, in
memory as is supposed of our Saviour's being on that day declared by
Simeon "to be a light to lighten the Gentiles." In imitation of this
custom, the Roman Catholics on this day consecrate all the tapers and
candles which they use in their churches during the whole year. At
Rome, the Pope performs that ceremony himself; and distributes wax
candles to the Cardinals and others, who carry them in procession
through the Great Halls of the Vatican or Pope's Palace. This ceremony
was prohibited in England by an Order of Council in the year 1548.
Some writers affirm that Candlemas was first instituted by Pope
Gelasius I. in 492. "The Romans were in the habit of burning candles on
this day to the goddess Februa, the mother of Mars; and Pope Sergius
seeing it would be useless to prohibit a practice of so long standing
turned it to Christian account by enjoining a similar offering of
candles to the Virgin. The candles were supposed to have the effect
of frightening the devil and all evil spirits away from the persons
who carried them, or from the houses in which they were placed." It
is evident that the numerous superstitious notions and observances
connected with candles and other lights in all countries had a remote
origin, and may be considered as relics of the once universally
prevalent worship of the sun and of fire, for mankind had so far
forgotten the One living and true God as to worship the creature
instead of the Creator who is God over all blessed for evermore.
A bright spark at the candle denotes that the party directly opposite
is to receive a letter. Windy weather is prophesied from the waving of
the flames without (apparent) cause, and wet weather if the wick does
not light readily. There is a tradition in most parts of Europe to the
effect that a fine Candlemas portends a severe winter. In Scotland the
prognostication is expressed in the following distich:--
"If Candlemas is fair and clear
There'll be twa winters in the year."